Aamir Khan denies ‘3 Idiots’ was based on Sonam Wangchuk
Aamir Khan has dismissed the long-held belief that his 2009 blockbuster “3 Idiots” was based on education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, saying neither he nor the film’s writers knew Wangchuk while making the film.
The actor made the remarks during a conversation at BFI Southbank on July 16 as part of the closing gala of the 17th London Indian Film Festival. He was responding to a question about Wangchuk, who is currently on an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi.
When an audience member suggested that “3 Idiots” had been inspired by Wangchuk, Aamir immediately rejected the claim. “No. That’s not true actually. That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Mr Sonam at the time when we were doing the film ‘3 Idiots’,” he said.
Referring to actor Omi Vaidya’s recent video supporting Wangchuk while reprising his popular character Chatur, Aamir said, “Chatur was wrong.”
He added, “Neither Raju and Abhijat, who were the two writers, nor I knew about Sonam. However, what Mr Sonam is doing doesn’t have to be based on the character of ‘3 Idiots’ for us to respect him. In fact, Mr Sonam himself has said that the character is not based on him. He has also clarified.”
Expressing concern over Wangchuk’s health, Aamir said, “I think all of us are very concerned for his health and life. We hope that he ends his fast.”
The resemblance between Wangchuk and the fictional character Phunsukh Wangdu in “3 Idiots” has been widely discussed since the film’s release. However, Wangchuk himself has previously said that the character was not officially based on him.
After “3 Idiots” was released in 2009, Wangchuk said he began receiving messages from people congratulating him on a film they believed was based on his life. “People told me, ‘The film based on you is fantastic.’ I was shocked. They also said they had shown my school,” he recalled.
When he contacted his school, Wangchuk learnt that a film crew had visited but had not disclosed the nature of the project. According to him, permission to film at the school was refused because of concerns over the use of plastic materials, and the makers eventually shot at another nearby school.
Wangchuk said he chose not to raise the issue at the time because he did not want people to think he was seeking compensation, especially as the dispute between the filmmakers and author Chetan Bhagat over story credit was already making headlines.
“I waited until the legal period for claiming compensation had expired. I wrote a letter to the makers, explaining how I met Aamir Khan before the film was made. They never replied. Nor do I expect them to. I have better things to do in life,” he said.
Wangchuk is currently on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. His protest has received support from several actors, filmmakers, digital creators and public figures, many of whom have urged the government to hold talks while appealing to Wangchuk to end his fast.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Comments